funeral directors Harpenden 2024: Austin’s Family Funeral Directors has been serving the communities of Hertfordshire for over three centuries. The Austin family is committed to the continued provision of a caring, sympathetic and sensitive service to the bereaved and their loved ones. This has established Austin’s as Hertfordshire’s leading, family-owned and operated, funeral director. In 1997, the family designed and built Harwood Park Crematorium and Memorial Gardens to further serve the needs of the local community. See even more information on funeral directors Buntingford.
Some people choose to place their loved one’s ashes into a rocket and fire them towards space! Lighter-than-air gas balloons can be used to scatter cremains at the edge of space. Alternatively, ashes can be added to a man-made coral reef under the sea. If you would like to scatter or bury your loved one’s ashes at our beautiful Harwood Park gardens, please let us know. Our team offers a variety of options regarding the storage and collection of the ashes. We are pleased to discuss these with you.
Austin’s Funeral Directors is one of the oldest and most prestigious companies in Hertfordshire. (We’ve been helping Hertfordshire people for over 320 years.) Each year, the directors choose a local charity to support. As a family business working closely with members of the community, we carefully select charities helping local people. During 2024, Austin’s chosen charity is Feed Up Warm Up, a homeless charity based in north Herts. Feed Up Warm Up offers food and friendship to homeless people in our community who need support. However, it is not a traditional food bank or homeless shelter. Instead, Feed Up Warm Up provides a safe, welcoming space, one evening a week, where guests can pop by to enjoy a hot meal and a chat, hear some live music and find practical and emotional help.
Humanist celebrants are non-religious and focus on making the funeral service a positive reflection of the person who has died. Civil celebrants lead funerals with or without religious content, creating an occasion for mourning or a celebration of life according to the wishes of the deceased person (if known) and their loved ones. It’s important to choose a celebrant whom you feel comfortable talking with and who listens, understanding your questions and requirements. Ask for testimonials from previous clients, and look for mentions of listening, writing and presenting skills. How they managed the service and liaised with the family are also important. At Austin’s family funeral directors, we work with several funeral celebrants. If you would like their details, please let us know.
It’s essential to be relevant and honest … to speak from the heart. You can ask others for their input or any memorable stories they would like included in the eulogy. Before the funeral itself, practice reading the eulogy aloud. This helps you to feel more confident when reading it during the funeral service. Writing and reading the eulogy can be an emotional process and it’s acceptable to show your emotions during this time, from crying to laughing! The team at Austin’s is here to help with guidance about the timing involved with funeral services and eulogies. If you’re arranging a funeral and writing a eulogy, please contact us with any queries.
Why do people choose direct cremation? Despite the obvious cost saving, only 5% of people seek the cheapest option for their loved one’s cremation. The Big Future of Funerals Survey 2022 showed that direct cremation is popular due to: 54% – Less stress for the family and friends they’ll leave behind. 15% – A simple and straightforward option. 14% – Emphasis on their life, not their death. 12% – Everyone can go straight to the wake. 5% – The cheapest option. See extra info on austins.co.uk.